Key win: 81-79 in overtime against then-No. 11 rival Kansas State on the road.

Key loss: 76-68 to then-No. 16 Tennessee on the road, the first loss of the season and one that ended a 15-game winning streak.

Key player: Sr. G Sherron Collins leads the team with 15.6 points and scored in double figures 25 times during the regular season.

X-factor: Experience. The Jayhawks have been at No. 1 or near the top of the polls all season and have taken everybody's best shot. They'll know how to handle pressure and adversity during this final stretch.

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Georgetown Hoyas

Record: 23-10, 10-8 Big East

Tourney history: 45-24; champion 1984

Coach: John Thompson III (139-61 at Georgetown, 207-102 overall)

Key wins: 89-77 at home against Duke on Jan. 30, and 91-84 over Syracuse in the league tournament last week.

Key losses: 72-64 at home against USF on Feb. 3 was surprising, but worse was 71-68 at Rutgers on Feb. 14.

Key player: So. C Greg Monroe (16.2 points, 9.7 rebounds) is a likely lottery pick and the next great big man in the Hoyas' great tradition.

X-factor: Jr. G Chris Wright seems to step up in big games — 27 points in a win at Pittsburgh and in the tournament upset of Syracuse.

Maryland Terrapins

Record: 23-8, 13-3 ACC

Tourney history: 37-22; champion 2002

Coach: Gary Williams (441-237 at Maryland, 648-365 overall)

Key win: 79-72 at home over Duke on March 3 to avenge earlier loss at Duke.

Key loss: 83-77 at home to a good William & Mary team on Dec. 30.

Key player: Sr. G Greivis Vasquez, the league's player of the year, is among the ACC's all-time leaders in scoring and assists, and he can carry a team.

X-factor: The Terrapins led the ACC in shooting (47.5 percent) and 3-point shooting (39.3 percent) during the regular season.

Michigan State Spartans

Record: 24-8, 14-4 Big Ten

Tourney history: 48-22; champion 1979, 2000

Coach: Tom Izzo (360-145 at MSU, overall)

Key win: 54-47 against visiting Wisconsin on Jan. 6.

Key loss: 77-74 to Florida at the Legends Classic in Atlantic City on Nov. 27, while ranked No. 2.

Key player: Jr. PG Kalin Lucas, the top scorer, showed he's more valuable than his stats suggest when he was out with an ankle injury.

X-factor: The nucleus from last year's NCAA runnerup is back, and tournament experience is usually a big plus this time of the year.